据Pacific Epoch的报道,由日本SoftBank和盛大网络共同投资的博客中国正准备计划在美国Nasdaq上市,博客中国目前自称每日页面访问量达到800万PV,每日博客发帖3万份。
为何投资博客中国,日本SoftBank表示,Blog的潜力巨大,SoftBank将在各方面,以各种方式提供资金等支持。SoftBank透露将很快提供另外一笔数额巨大的资金给博客中国。博 客中国新近加盟的联想投资前副总裁也将努力去募集更多的资金。
博客中国创始人之一的方兴东表示,“很显然,我认为‘博客’是1-2年内互联网最热门的事情。”,同时,方承认,博客中国的赢利模式目前还不清晰,但是公司目前还是发展的初期阶段,博客中国有数百万用户,将很快达到1千万,我们将有能力给投资人提供一个明确的商业赢利模式,博客中国的网络广告的目标将缩定特定人群。
对于新浪、Sohu.com、网易即将推出的BLOG服务,博客中国说自己乐观其成,但是博客中国将凭借自己的专业Blog服务,继续保持领先的地位。
编者注:昨天晚上,据说方兴东对一些媒体记者、编辑否认了这个事情,说TechWeb这个东西很可笑。TechWeb不是不负责任,对自己的文字负责。有的人也应该对自己的话负责吧。说过的话就是说了,没说的就是说。实事求是,TechWeb认为这才是一个基本的态度。
由此,techweb帖出来这个出处的原文:
pacificepoch.com/pecontent/27142_0_3_0_M/
Pacific Epoch Interview: Founder Fang Xingdong
Blog, , Blogging, Fang Xingdong, Shanda, Softbank, Tan Yongquan
Posted by: Zhou Zhengqian on Apr 18
Executive Summary
With 8 million daily page views on the back of 30,000 daily postings, money from Softbank and Shanda, and the lead in China' s race to aggregate bloggers, looks like it is sitting pretty. Now founder Fang Xingdong and ' s newly minted CEO need to answer the question everyone watching the blogger space wants answered: Where are the revenues?
Pacific Epoch: There are reports that is heading for a Nasdaq IPO? Are the reports true?
Fang Xindong: Yes, definitely. I think blogging will be the hottest thing on the Internet in the next one to two years.
PE: Why choose Nasdaq over the Hong Kong Stock Exchange?
Fang: Choosing where to list depends on investors and other factors. Although it costs less to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange than in the US, investors are willing to go where market conditions are best.
PE: Softbank is a strategic investor in . Did you choose Softbank because they would be helpful with an IPO?
Fang: Yes. Softbank invested in because they have high expectations for blogging. Softbank will support in various ways in addition to providing operating capital. We will have a significant amount of additional investment coming in soon. Legend Capital vice president Tan Yongquan recently came on as CEO of , which will assist us in raising more capital.
PE: Do you think have difficulty getting an IPO out because the company lacks a clear revenue generating model?
Fang: [An unclear revenue generating plan] is very normal for a new business. Our revenue model may not be clear at present, but is still in its initial stages of development. We only have several million users now but I think when our user number reaches ten million, we will be able to show investors a clear profit generating model.
PE: What will be the major profit generators for ?
Fang: Advertising will be one way, and not the same kind of advertising that you find on the portals. Advertisements on will target a very specific audience. Another is WVAS, because mobile blogging will definitely become a mainstream service. A third is to provide value added services and applications for bloggers. A blog portal like is like an online family for bloggers. Users will pay for certain services.
PE: Have you considered cooperating with the traditional publishing industry?
Fang: Yes, we believe publishing print versions of blogs will be a very important businesses for in the future because has so many writers. CITIC Publishing House' s planning department director Fang Xi has joined . will probably release its first book in May. The book will have some IT industry related content and selections of famous writers' contributions to .
PE: The majority of writers are industry insiders and experts. Do you think might be a good platform to develop a social networking business?
PE: Does plan to offer podcasting services? If so, how will podcasting contribute to ' s revenues?